Feral Druid DPS Leveling 1-80 and Best Leveling Talent Builds - Wrath of the Lich King Classic

By NerdEgghead Updated: 2022/09/16

Leveling Overview for Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich KingDruidDire Bear FormCat FormCat FormDire Bear FormSwipe (Cat)Cat FormMangleFerocityFeral SwiftnessFeral ChargeMangleMangle (Cat)Leveling Viability for Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich KingFeral Swiftness30%Travel FormMageShamanCat Formabsolutely no downtimesingle targetWarlockMageWarriorSwipe (Cat)BerserkLeveling Tips for Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich King(1) Use both your Mana and Health bars.Cat FormCat Form(2) Avoid multi-mob pulls.BerserkFaerie Fire (Feral)Moonfire(3) Increase movement speed efficiently.Cat FormFeral SwiftnessTravel FormCat FormTravel Form(4) Use utility tools to avoid death.Entangling RootsNature's GraspDire Bear FormBashFrenzied RegenerationDash

Leveling Tips from 1-60 in Azeroth

Do the entire Bear Form quest chain, starting with Heeding the Call / Heeding the Call, as soon as you hit level 10. Your leveling speed from 10-20 will improve significantly after you can shapeshift, as you can still DPS mobs from a distance using Wrath but will have substantially higher melee DPS once mobs reach you.

As much as possible, plan your leveling route so that you are fighting mobs that are 1-2 levels lower than you. Since Feral Druids should optimize for sustainability with no downtime, as described in tip (1) above, lower level mobs are a much more efficient source of experience than equal or higher level mobs, which will force you to heal up more frequently.

When completing quest objectives, you can often use Prowl to bypass a ton of mobs that would otherwise take a significant amount of time to clear. Even though killing mobs grants experience, quest XP far surpasses it, so you are best served by completing objectives as quickly as possible using stealth. For example, there are several quests like Lifting the Curse that occur on boats densely packed with quickly respawning mobs, and you can skip all of the associated combat by stealthing directly to the mini-boss / chest / etc. that you need to find.

You can often solo quests that are intended for groups by killing elite mobs without any help. Even though you will be questing primarily in Cat Form, you can swap to Bear Form in these situations and simply outlast the elite with your massive armor and health pool. You will inevitably get low on HP at some point when doing this, but can then utilize Bash to stun the enemy for long enough to pop out of form and heal up.

Best Builds for Leveling as Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich KingSolo Leveling 0/53/18 Feral Druid DPS Talent Build

ShredShredding AttacksRend and TearRipPrimal GoreInfected WoundsNurturing InstinctImproved MangleMangle (Cat)MangleClawMangle (Cat)ClawFeral SwiftnessCat FormTravel FormFeral ChargeNurturing InstinctLeveling Rotation for Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich KingFeral Druid DPS Leveling Single Target RotationefficiencyShredMangle (Cat)Mangle (Cat)Rake

Keep Mark of the Wild and Thorns buffed on yourself.

Pull mob with Faerie Fire (Feral) from a distance.

If target will live longer than 9 seconds, then open with Rake.

Use Mangle (Cat) repeatedly, waiting for Energy regeneration when needed.

If you have 5 Combo Points and target is not yet dead, then use Ferocious Bite.

Use Lifebloom, Regrowth, and/or Rejuvenation when low on health.

Mangle (Cat)ClawFerocious BiteSavage RoarFerocious BiteSavage RoarFeral Druid DPS Leveling AoE RotationCat FormBerserkDire Bear FormSwipe (Bear)Dire Bear Form

Pool Energy to max and pre-pop Berserk just before engaging the pack.

If the pack will live longer than 5 Swipes worth of damage, then cast Rake to build a Combo Point, followed by Savage Roar.

Spam Swipe (Cat) as frequently as your Energy regeneration and Omen of Clarity procs allow.

If Berserk is unavailable and your Energy drops to below 30, then shift into Dire Bear Form and cast Swipe (Bear) while waiting on Energy to regenerate.

Once you hit the 45 Energy mark again and are not worried about dying, then shift back into Cat Form and resume casting Swipe (Cat).

Swipe (Cat)Dire Bear FormFeral InstinctCooldowns for Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich King

Tiger's Fury is a 30 second offensive cooldown that can be trained starting at level 24. When activated, it temporarily boosts the damage of your Cat Form auto-attacks, Claw, and Mangle (Cat), and should be cast immediately before engaging your next target. Once you hit level 51 and can start talenting into King of the Jungle, then Tiger's Fury will become a much more important offensive cooldown because it will also restore Energy on demand! When specced into 3/3 King of the Jungle, you should only cast Tiger's Fury when below 40 Energy, so that none of its Energy regeneration is lost to the 100 Energy cap.

Berserk is a 3 minute offensive cooldown that can be talented starting at level 60. When activated, it halves the Energy cost of all your Cat Form abilities for 15 seconds, effectively doubling your rate of special ability casts for that period. It is optimally cast when you are at 90 Energy (i.e. 100 Energy once the GCD from the Berserk cast expires) in order to maximize your Energy expenditure with the buff active.

Feral Charge - Cat is a 30 second mobility cooldown that can be talented starting at level 30. It can be used to leap to your next target from afar and reduce your travel time between pulls, or to daze a fleeing mob before it can get away.

Dash is a 3 minute mobility cooldown that complements Feral Charge - Cat. While leveling, it is often leveraged defensively as a speedy exit strategy during emergencies, such as when you have accidentally pulled more mobs than you can safely handle.

Barkskin is a 1 minute defensive cooldown that can be trained starting at level 44. When activated, it reduces all of the damage you take for the next 12 seconds by 20%. In WotLK, Barkskin has been buffed to be usable while shapeshifted, and is no longer on the global cooldown, so you should use it liberally while leveling in order to reduce your incoming damage and DPS for longer periods before needing to heal up.

Survival Instincts is an optional 3 minute defensive cooldown that can be talented starting at level 20. While not absolutely essential for leveling, it is worth picking up especially at higher levels, since the emergency 30% heal it supplies can easily be the difference between surviving a nasty chain pull and being forced to suffer a long run back from the nearest graveyard.

Innervate is a 3 minute utility cooldown that can be trained starting at level 40. If you ever run out of Mana as a result of casting too many healing spells or shapeshifting too often, then you can cast Innervate on yourself in order to resume leveling without needing to stop and drink.

New Abilities 71-80 to Train for Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich KingSwipe (Cat)Tiger's FuryRegrowthRipDemoralizing RoarCat FormSwipe (Cat)Swipe (Cat)Tiger's FuryFerocious BiteRakeSwipe (Bear)LifebloomFerocious BiteSavage RoarRavageMaulLacerateRavageFaerie Fire (Feral)tonThornsMaimHealing TouchThornsMaimSavage RoarMangle (Cat)RejuvenationShredMangle (Bear)theSavage RoarMangle (Cat)RejuvenationSwipe (Bear)RegrowthPounceDemoralizing RoarSwipe (Bear)Dire Bear FormPounceRakeFerocious BiteEntangling RootsNature's GraspRakeFerocious BiteSavage RoarTiger's FuryRavageMaulRebirthHealing TouchTiger's FuryMaulMaulGlyph of MaulClearcastingCat FormRipShredLacerateMangle (Bear)Mangle (Cat)Gift of the WildReviveMark of the WildNourishRejuvenationLifebloomNourishBest Leveling Weapons and Gear for Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich King

Level

Item

Location

70-71

Idol of the Plainstalker

Reward from Get Me Outa Here! / Return My Remains in Borean Tundra

71-72

Battleworn Magnataur Crusher

Reward from Wanted: High Shaman Bloodpaw / Where the Wild Things Roam in Dragonblight

72-73

Branch of the Roaming Spirit

Reward from Free at Last in Grizzly Hills

73-74

Shackles of Dark Whispers

Reward from Cleansing Drak'Tharon in Grizzly Hills

74-75

Staff of the Sorrowful Chieftain

Reward from Wanted: Ragemane's Flipper in Zul'Drak

75-76

Handguards of Rapid Pursuit

Drops from Ichoron in The Violet Hold

76-77

Ring of Foul Mojo

Reward from For Posterity in Gundrak

77-78

Hardened Tongue Tunic

Reward from Whatever it Takes! in Halls of Lightning

78-79

Hewn Sparring Quarterstaff

Drops from General Bjarngrim in Halls of Lightning

79-80

Necklace of the Chrono-Lord

Drops from Chrono-Lord Epoch in The Culling of Stratholme

Gear Upgrades from 1-70

Cat FormBear Form

Level

Item

Location

10-20

Aquarius Belt

Reward from Aquatic Form / Aquatic Form in Moonglade

20-30 (Alliance)

Efflorescent Robe

Reward from Reception from Tyrande in Ashenvale

20-30 (Horde)

Panther Armor

Reward from The Den in Stonetalon Mountains

30-40

Oiled Leather Leggings

Reward from Catch a Dragon by the Tail in Dustwallow Marsh

40-50

Failed Flying Experiment

Reward from Rescue OOX-22/FE! in Feralas

50-58

Ice Barbed Spear

Reward from Hero of the Stormpike / Hero of the Frostwolf in Alterac Valley

58-61

Scout's Hood

Reward from Saving the Sporeloks in Zangarmarsh

61-64

Idol of the Wild

Reward from Colossal Menace in Hellfire Peninsula

64-67

Staff of Beasts

Reward from The Ring of Blood: The Final Challenge in Nagrand

67-70

Clefthoof Hide Leggings

Reward from Showdown / Showdown in Blade's Edge Mountains

Best Leveling Professions for Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich KingHerbalismMiningSkinningFlight FormSwift Flight FormCold Weather FlyingEngineeringBest Leveling Consumables for Feral Druid DPS in Wrath of the Lich King

Super Healing Potion

Super Mana Potion

Grilled Mudfish / Warp Burger

Elixir of Major Agility

Adamantite Weightstone

Swiftness of Zanza

Super Healing PotionSuper Mana PotionElixir of Major AgilityAdamantite Weightstone

Comments

Comment by zuthyx

Why are there three major glyphs in these leveling guides? The third major isn't unlocked until level 80

Comment by No1Uknow

Worth respeccing at 20 to get OoC with the new buffs.

Comment by Kortash

Is 5/5 in Furor still recommended? According to icy-veins "With April 4th 2023 hotfixes, Omen of Clarity now procs whenever you use Faerie Fire (Feral) , thus allowing you to have much more reliable energy regeneration and reducing / eliminating the usefulness of Bearweaving." ?
see https://www.icy-veins.com/wotlk-classic/feral-druid-dps-pve-rotation-cooldowns-abilities
Then wouldn't putting some points into a different talent make more sense?

Feral Druid DPS Leveling 1-80 and Best Leveling Talent Builds - Wrath of the Lich King Classic

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